Summary:Using animation, stand-up comedy, and interviews with Patton Oswalt, Sarah Silverman, Marc Maron and others, this documentary looks at the life of a comic Eddie Pepitone as he struggles with self-doubt, sobriety, and a challenging family history during a middle-age career surge.

The Bitter Buddha closes with Pepitone pondering whether he’s wasted his life by focusing on comedy rather than family, but everything that’s come before suggests that decision has led to a life that’s a triumph rather than a tragedy.